The statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis at Fourth Bluff Park in downtown Memphis was taken down Wednesday, Dec. 21.
Video by Daniel Connolly/ The Commercial Appeal

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Only the pedestal remains of the removed statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest at Health Science Park Thursday morning. The city of Memphis sold two public parks containing Confederate monuments to a nonprofit Wednesday in a massive, months-in-the-planning operation to take the statues down overnight.(Photo: Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)Buy Photo

Only the pedestal remains of the removed statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest at Health Science Park Thursday morning. The city of Memphis sold two public parks containing Confederate monuments to a nonprofit Wednesday in a massive, months-in-the-planning operation to take the statues down overnight. Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal

The removed statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Fourth Bluff Park Thursday morning. The city of Memphis sold two public parks containing Confederate monuments to a nonprofit Wednesday in a massive, months-in-the-planning operation to take the statues down overnight. Mark Weber, The Commercial Appeal

December 21, 2017 - Van Turner, Shelby County Commissioner and president of Memphis Greenspace, Inc., speaks during a press conference in front of the pedestral of the removed Confederate statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest at Health Sciences Park on Thursday morning. The nonprofit organization purchased Health Sciences Park and Memphis Park for $1,000 each and had the Confederate statues of Forrest and Jefferson Davis removed on Wednesday night. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

December 21, 2017 - Lee Millar, right, a spokesman for the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, listens attentively to the question and answer portion of a press conference held by Memphis Greenspace, Inc. near the pedestral of the removed Confederate statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest at Health Sciences Park on Thursday morning. The nonprofit organization purchased Health Sciences Park and Memphis Park for $1,000 each and had the Confederate statues of Forrest and Jefferson Davis removed on Wednesday night. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

December 21, 2017 - Carla Lock stands with her great niece, Emorie London, 10, and grandson, Benjamin Hampton, 7, while attending a press conference held by Memphis Greenspace, Inc. near the pedestral of the removed Confederate statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest at Health Sciences Park on Thursday morning. The nonprofit organization purchased Health Sciences Park and Memphis Park for $1,000 each and had the Confederate statues of Forrest and Jefferson Davis removed on Wednesday night. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

Only the pedestal remains of the removed statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Fourth Bluff Park on Thursday morning. The city of Memphis sold two public parks containing Confederate monuments to a nonprofit Wednesday in a massive, months-in-the-planning operation to take the statues down overnight. Mark Weber / The Commercial Appeal

Memphian Brett Schutt takes a picture of the removed statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Fourth Bluff Park Thursday morning. The city of Memphis sold two public parks containing Confederate monuments to a nonprofit Wednesday in a massive, months-in-the-planning operation to take the statues down overnight. Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Only the pedestal remains of the removed statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest at Health Sciences Park on Thursday morning. The city of Memphis sold two public parks containing Confederate monuments to a nonprofit Wednesday in a massive, months-in-the-planning operation to take the statues down overnight. Mark Weber / The Commercial Appeal

Only the pedestal remains of the removed statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest at Health Sciences Park on Thursday morning. The city of Memphis sold two public parks containing Confederate monuments to a nonprofit Wednesday in a massive, months-in-the-planning operation to take the statues down overnight. Mark Weber / The Commercial Appeal

Rep. Steve McDaniel, R-Parkers Crossroads, who has been an outspoken advocate for the preservation of historical monuments, sponsored the amendment.

"What this amendment does is it removes $250,000 from the budget that is designated to go to the city of Memphis for their bicentennial celebration," he said on the House floor. "If you recall, back in December, Memphis did something that removed historical markers in the city. It was the city of Memphis that did this, and it was full knowing it was not the will of the legislature."

During Tuesday's floor session, Democrats argued the amendment was vindictive. Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, called it the most "vile, racist" effort he had seen and said Republicans viewed Forrest "as if he was God."

Rep. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, called the amendment "un-Christian."

"This amendment and the explanation is hateful, it is unkind, it is un-Christian and it is unfair," she said. "Memphis is a city in this state, and I am sick of people in this House acting like it’s not."